Metro looks to hire firm to study sites for new Sounds ballpark

A preliminary step in building a new Nashville Sounds ballpark could be taking form, with Mayor Karl Dean’s administration planning to bring in an outside firm to study the need, feasibility and potential locations for a downtown minor league baseball stadium.

Metro Finance Director Rich Riebeling told The City Paper Tuesday the city is likely to issue a request for proposals “some time within the next 30 or 60 days” seeking a qualified firm to “engage in the site selection process” and feasibility of a new ballpark for the Nashville Sounds. The study would also try to answer whether a new stadium is in fact necessary.

“The first step needs to be an analysis of where a stadium could be, looking at all the potential sites that have been discussed, doing an analysis of the sites and coming in with a recommendation of where it should be built,” Riebeling said when asked about the status of stadium talks between Dean’s administration and Sounds management.

“Until we get that done, all the talk about baseball stadiums and all that are really just kind of speculative,” he said. “That seems to be the most concrete thing we should do to get things moving in the right direction.”

The Sounds, the AAA-affiliate of the major league’s Milwaukee Brewers, are embarking on their third season under New York-based owners MFP Real Estate. The group purchased the team in 2009.

From the beginning, the Sounds’ owners have been outspoken about their desire to land Metro assistance to construct a downtown facility to replace outdated Greer Stadium. Last winter, the team ramped up its pitch for a new ballpark, hiring prominent real estate attorney Tom White and public relations veteran John Siegenthaler Jr. to oversee these efforts. The Sounds also tapped Hastings Architecture Associates to produce stadium designs and renderings.

The Sounds’ preferred location for a new stadium is the 11-acre former thermal plant site, situated south of Broadway, where the team’s former owners had at one time agreed to build a ballpark. Their initial agreement with Metro fell apart in 2007, and the stadium never materialized.

“We welcome an independent study of the best place to build a new ballpark in Nashville,” Frank Ward, principal Sounds owner, said in a statement. “We have always made it clear we think the thermal site is the best location. And anything that brings us closer to a baseball stadium Nashville can be proud of is a good idea.”

Dean, however, has expressed interest in building a stadium near the state capitol at the former Sulphur Dell location that served as the home of the former Nashville Vols. The site includes land the state owns. Dean has said the thermal site should make a statement about Nashville, and that it could be better suited for an amphitheater.

Sulphur Dell has also captured the curiosity of several Metro Council members who say a new ballpark in north of the Central Business District could provide a needed boost by spurring development in the area, while revisiting the city’s baseball tradition.

“Baseball history and heritage in Nashville is located at Sulphur Dell,” At-large Councilman Jerry Maynard said. “The stadium should go there because that’s where baseball in Nashville all began. We need to bring baseball back to its original site.

“We have not invested the brick and mortar north of Charlotte [Avenue] like we’ve done in SoBro, like we’ve done in other areas of the town,” Maynard added. “This is a great chance for Metro government to show its support for economic development for all of Davidson County.”

Other potential stadium sites discussed include properties near Music City Center, which is still under construction; the intersection of 11th Avenue North and Charlotte Avenue; and the East Bank of the Cumberland River.

Riebeling said companies qualified to conduct the study could include architecture or engineering firms as well as sports consulting firms experienced in stadium analyses. Though a request for proposals could be issued in the next month or two, it would be several more months until a company is hired and even longer until it produces recommendations.

“If we’re going to be build a baseball stadium, we need to do it in a very public and forthright manner in which everybody has input and we have a lot of community dialogue and discussions on how and where it goes and whether we need one,” Riebeling said.

“The process needs to be … an analysis of potential sites, and that’s what we’re going to start on,” he said.

48 Comments on this post:

By:fdanshep on 2/23/11 at 7:36

The Thermal site is the best place for the ballpark. It will be closely aligned with LP and "The Stone". There will be restaurants and bars in close proximity and fans and visitors are more likely to spontaneously enjoy the "experience" of a AAA baseball team.

Sulphur Dell had it's day and it's day is gone. Look at pictures of it if you want to reminisce but don't put the new park there. I guess we can always slip over to the Farmer's Market for food, either in one of those restaurants or maybe a vegetable from a Vendor. Doesn't quite fit does it?

We've got one chance to get this right. Hopefully the powers that be won't screw it up!

By:4gold on 2/23/11 at 8:00

I would put it where the metal salvage place is on LP side or at the fairgrounds if we build one at all. Is anyone still going to Sounds games really? I sure don't EVER want a major league team in Nashville. We have enough spoiled brat athletes here already.

Go Dores, Preds, Titans! Go Nashville a great place to live!

By:BigPapa on 2/23/11 at 8:02

The Fairgrounds perhaps? The thermal site will be a music venue of some type- it's off the board.

By:gid on 2/23/11 at 8:05

Did'nt the City spend $ on a committee to find the best place for the Stadium back in 2007? Why do this again?
Dean wants HIS music venue at the thermal site.

By:nashwatcher on 2/23/11 at 8:12

there's all this development going on with the water park, and along the banks of the cumberland to make downtown a destination for families on the weekends. why not place the ballpark in sobro where there are currently vacant warehouses. this would be convenient for families wanting to walk from the game down to the river, would spur sales of tickets as tourists could catch a game on a whim, and would spare the thermal site so an amphitheater could be built in the future...

seems like a more logical, practical location than sulphur dell...

and seems like a win-win for the city and the sounds owners...

By:jasonweaver on 2/23/11 at 8:12

@gid ... exactly ... Dean looking for a study as cover but one that gives a different conclusion or gives options and his admin can pick and choose that best fits with what they really want to do.

By:foxman on 2/23/11 at 8:49

Are you kidding me? Using tax money to tell us if we need to replace that dump Greer Stadium? They have already done a study on where to put it. The Sulpher dell deal sailed with the Titanic. Nobody wants to go to a game there cause nothing to do around the stadium ala Greer Stadium. Its got to be SoBro or thermal site. Somebody please run against this Yankee Karl Dean & get his ass out of here!

By:NewYorker1 on 2/23/11 at 8:56

I think the new baseball stadium should be built in Murfreesboro or Franklin and Nashville should build a Neiman Marcus or Bloomingdales instead of a stadium. There, problem solved. Next topic please.

By:FANOF711 on 2/23/11 at 10:17

get rid of the whole problem get rid of KARL DEAN !!

By:cl74 on 2/23/11 at 10:40

If we are going to keep the Sounds then we will have to build a new park in the near future. It should be built in the Thermal site, that is an area thats booming with development and will continue to do so with residencial, hotels, tourist and office workers downtown. If an ampitheater is built why not put it over on the East Bank with the new park or whatever that is going in over there. Plenty of room for that over there plus they could tax some of that revenue and put it towards the park.

By:cl74 on 2/23/11 at 10:43

Opps. In the last sentence I said tax but meant take some of that revenue. My mind is on how silly our nation use tax money.

By:nashwatcher on 2/23/11 at 10:52

you want it to be near the tourists, downtown residents, and families coming downtown as a destination experience in the future...you want to make it a "fun thing" to do on a whim, and being able to walk there is HUGE...

i just looked at a photo of downtown taken last week from the air, and hermitage ave, 2nd/3rd all look like good locations south of broadway...

also, it will be inactive when there aren't games going, so you don't want it to stifle development in an area...maybe somehow line the ballpark with commercial(or something) so it keeps the streetscape active...

this could be a really positive development if implemented intelligently...

By:localboy on 2/23/11 at 10:53

A site that sits on the East Bank that could share parking with the stadium would be an interesting footprint....or Sulpher Dell, which would be a step up from the current location without a land price through the roof. The Thermal site has too many suitors.

By:wasaw on 2/23/11 at 11:05

Here we go again, the government getting it's hands into the pocket of private business. Baseball is not government provided entertainment. We made a huge mistake buiding the Titans stadium and it appears that it's going to happen again.

Looks like Mayor Dean might not be getting enough campaign contributions from the Music City Convention Center vendors so it looks like Nashville taxpayers are going to get hit in the pocketbook again. Do you reckon Rich Riebeling will go back and amend his ethics papers again after all the contracts are let?

So what is the "litmus test" in acquiring a contract on a Metro project? Thus far it's been "I know Rich Riebeling". Good old Democrat politics as usual. Some things don't change.

By:Shane Smiley on 2/23/11 at 11:25

Doesn't anyone find it curious that Karl Dan says that he wants to sell the Fairgrounds because it "may" need public subsidy at some point yet, out of his other face, he is talking about spending more tax payer dollars on a new stadium?

Karl Dean sternly warned Fairgrounds supporters " If the Fairgrounds is not redeveloped, I will be forced to raise property taxes" Not property taxes for Fairgrounds supporters, property taxes for Davidson County.

With that said. How is it that we have tax money to even look at building a new stadium?

Who is paying for this study?

Will the Highest and Best use of the property be a part of the location search?

What would it cost to update Greer? time

Amazing to me that Nashville has become a divided city.
One side is eager and willing to throw away it's history for something new and shiny.
The other side looks to preserve our heritage and fix up what we've got.
We need balance.
It seems to me that our city and our country would be better off if we would take the time to just fix what we've got.

By:cl74 on 2/23/11 at 11:30

@wasaw look around at all of the stadiums, arenas that are built by tax payers money that has Major League Baseball, NFL, NBA and NHL. Out of all of them only about 5% is privately owned. If you want pro or minor league sports it is mostly left up to the tax payers to built them. Look at the one in Chattnooga, Sevierville, Jackson and Memphis all have very nice ball parks for their minor league teams. If they can do so can we. This has nothing to do with Democrat or Republican, it is just the way of life here in America.

By:Shane Smiley on 2/23/11 at 12:25

Chattanooga, Sevierville, Jackson, And Memphis Didn't spend money on an NHL Arena or a LP Field. They can afford to build a new stadium.

We are being forced to cut jobs from Metro Government, Hiring freezes (Unless you are the Mayors office), budget cuts,
loss of services in our schools and parks.

We need to focus on taking care of the people of Davidson county and our current holdings.

People are forced to walk along the side of busy HWY 70/100 with no sidewalks but, we have money for a new stadium?
The Mayors office has it's Priorities out of whack.

This is one more thing that Karl Dean sees as a part of his legacy. Never mind the safety and well being of the citizens of Nashville.

What is the true cost of fixing up Greer?
Where does it lack?
Do the things that Greer lacks really constitute spending tax dollars for a NEW stadium?

By:TITAN1 on 2/23/11 at 12:29

wasaw, not sure why you think building the Titans stadium was a bad idea. I guess you have never been to a Titans game and enjoyed the game day experience. It brings in a lot of tax dollars. To be an NFL, Major League, or NHL city is an honor and nothing worth while is free. As for the Sounds stadium, since we don't have a major league team, I think the best place is where PSC Metals is located, of course the land would have to be bought and PSC moved to another location, and the former thermal plant property.

By:foxman on 2/23/11 at 12:31

Good god, have you ever even been to a game at Greer? The place needs to be blown up yesterday.

By:BigPapa on 2/23/11 at 12:54

Remember Nashvillians VOTED on the NFL, and the NFL is the crown jewel of ALLLL sports. It wasn't just a deal made by Bredesen and Bud Adams. This is only minor league baseball. Nobody would know or care if they closed up shop.

By:slacker on 2/23/11 at 1:00

If I recall correctly, Larry Schmittou brokered a lease with the city govt. to build Greer stadium at the present site. He built the stadium with his own funds, and investor funds. I also believe Mr. Schmittou paid property taxes on the stadium. The new owners of the Sounds should do likewise.

By:TITAN1 on 2/23/11 at 1:04

BP, you might not care, but you are being pretty arrogant speaking for everyone. We are planning on taking our grandson to some Sounds games and I hope in the near future it will be at a nice downtown stadium.

By:TITAN1 on 2/23/11 at 1:05

slacker, times have changed. The Sounds have said they will be putting money into it, but the city will also have to.

By:Shane Smiley on 2/23/11 at 1:13

I have been to Greer. I don't believe that "Blowing it up" is called for.

My point is that we can't pay for keeping up our parks. Bathrooms are closed at many parks.
A year ago the front page headlines were all about our park system being broke.

We don't have money for education needs. We are spending fewer dollars per student than we were four years ago.

Metro water is in financial trouble as it works to replace failing aged infrastructure. The money set aside for these necessities went to the Titans.
Metro water was just downgraded to an AA- status for bonding. While that may not keep us from borrowing, it does mean a higher interest rate. Thus, costing tax payers more money.

The MCC is over budget and cutting amenities that were promised in selling the concept.

LP Field may sit vacant next year if the NFL and players do not come to an agreement. Yet, the tax payers still have to pay the note on the property.

The Preds are still looking for more tax payer dollars.

The city already subsidizes Greer $250,000 a year.

The people of Nashville should stand up and say no to spending money on a new stadium at this point.
The city is on the verge of major financial issues brought on by this administration.
Let's take care of what we have and look at a new stadium when our financial picture is a sitting on more stable ground.

By:NewYorker1 on 2/23/11 at 1:26

Get rid of the Sounds and get a Bergdorf's or Barneys.

By:airvols on 2/23/11 at 1:48

The Sounds stadium needs to be on the east bank next to LP field. Parking is already available and we will rid ourselves of that unsightly thing that crushes cars. This will then create an entertainment zone for the city along side a park that is already underdevelopment.

By:BigPapa on 2/23/11 at 1:49

The Sounds and the race track are similar situations, two sporting entities that are not longer relevant. Minor league racing and minor leage baseball are things for little small towns, Nashville has the NFL and the NHL. we've moved on, graduated to bigger and better things. Granted I think the NHL is a huge waste but thats a different post for a different day.

By:slacker on 2/23/11 at 2:06

Maybe Mayor Dean could negotiate a deal with the Steinbrenner family, and buy the New York Yankee's and move them here. We could then build the mother of all stadiums, larger than Jerry Jones new deal. We could refinance all debt and make monthly payments on the interest. Sure property taxes would increase, but times have changed. Or we can vote Dean out of office, and buy him a one-way bus ticket to any city he desires. Maybe back where he came from.

By:Loretta Bridge on 2/23/11 at 2:22

Why not put it next to the Fair Grounds then you will only have one neighborhood
complaining about it or put it in the same location it is now. When is Dean going to worry about so. Do it like Louisville did.....make a deal with Vanderbilt to share a baseball stadium.

By:Loretta Bridge on 2/23/11 at 2:26

How much tax money has Dean spent doing studies? Would someone tell me what
Dean has done since he has been in office other than tear stuff down and spend money on studying about stuff we already know.

By:JeffF on 2/23/11 at 3:16

Because this city only does things after other cities have done them first, I will now let you know which future-minded cities have built or are building downtown minor league parks. Memphis (bankrupt team and stadium), Birmingham, Omaha, and Louisville.

Yes ladies and gentlemen, the baseball fanatics and hags are aspiring to have our city join the illustrious list of Memphis, Birmingham, Omaha, and Louisville. Dare to have a vision of urban greatness.

I love the mentions of Memphis and Jackson in the above posts. One team is bankrupt and not paying rent or bond payments after seeing its attendance drop to the levels prior to the new stadium (Memphis), the other never saw the attendance that was promised and had to sue to keep the team owner in town. Neither are prospering and downtown Memphis is in just as bad of shape as it was before Autozone Park and Peabody Place. They even had to bribe a Memphis company to move to downtown from the airport area just so they could declare an economic victory.

Downtown stadiums were all the rage a few years ago and the baseball hags and team owners were hoping to jump on that wave before it subsided. That wave is now gone. In the PCL, the 2010 attendance figures shows the disaster that are downtown stadiums.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/league.cgi?id=15003

That list shows a whole lot of suburban and and extra-downtown stadiums leading in attendance now that the newness has worn off the uber-expensive downtown projects. A wise investment appears to be to build somewhere cheap and accessible that meets the needs of your target audience. The using of minor league baseball for urban redevelopment is a fools erand. The target audience (families) do not currently live or will likely never live close to a downtown location. They will only come downtown for minor league sports for a little while until the hassle finally exhausts them (see Memphis now sitting in 7th).

Siting a minor league stadium as if it were a major league venue is stupid and has never, ever worked in the long run. The customer that minor league baseball depends on does not require bars be in close proximity or that the stadium be the linchpin of a sustainable downtown. They want to get in with the kids, park close and cheap so walking the kids is not a pain, enjoy some cheap entertainment, then get out quick enough (no traffic) so the kids can be in bed before 10:30. Downtown meets none of those requirements.

I am sure the hip 20-something, single, downtown condo dwellers will decry this, but there just is not enough of them to really build a stadium to meet just their needs. Memphis' downtown population is at least three times that of Nashville's yet their heralded AAA stadium is still failing.

Build this stadium. Build it somewhere cheap and without an eye toward redevelopment opportunities. There is not a single city that saved its downtown with a new minor league stadium. Build it where families can get to it. Build it with adjacent parking. If that means the hated suburbs, so be it. That is where the families with spendable money happen to be now. It wouldn't even mean a lot if Nashville went AA instead of AAA.

The areas next to LP makes excellent sense. We were told that was "downtown" during the Yes campaign. Has it suddenly stopped being downtown since the land developers who own the team have their eye on other property they can use it for baseball and their primary business? Metro Center would make a great location once the ramps are finally finished. So would the Jefferson Street and Trinity Lane areas close to the interstate.

By:Shane Smiley on 2/23/11 at 3:26

How are we going to pay for it?

By:TITAN1 on 2/23/11 at 3:26

Jeff said: Siting a minor league stadium as if it were a major league venue is stupid and has never, ever worked in the long run. The customer that minor league baseball depends on does not require bars be in close proximity or that the stadium be the linchpin of a sustainable downtown. They want to get in with the kids, park close and cheap so walking the kids is not a pain, enjoy some cheap entertainment, then get out quick enough (no traffic) so the kids can be in bed before 10:30. Downtown meets none of those requirements.

Nothing but pure BS in that statement. Every time a stadium comes up for discussion jeff repeats himself like a parrot. If jeff doesn't agree with something, it shouldn't happen.

By:CrimesDown on 2/23/11 at 3:46

People ask who in their right mind would put a new stadium where Greer Stadium is now. Why would people go there? Good question. I guess the stadium could take advantage of the over flow crowds from the science center, since they are so close.

By:BigPapa on 2/23/11 at 3:48

Titan1 you are always for every thing, esp. spending other people's money. Look at the area around LP field.. it's been 10 yrs and it's all STILL a dump.
Broadway and 2nd Ave were already flurishing prior to the stadium.... so no change there.
I agree with Jeff, put this in Lebanon, Hendersonville, or Mboro.. but let them pay for it.

By:TITAN1 on 2/23/11 at 3:56

The only thing that is a dump around the stadium is the 'dump' itself. Only a matter of time before they move. If it was up to you and jeff downtown would be a ghost town.

By:JeffF on 2/23/11 at 5:02

You ever wonder Titan why it is important to spend lots of other people's money to keep a neighborhood from becoming a "ghost town"? The next question is, why is downtown the only neighborhood that gets all this money spent on it? There are a lot of places threatening to become "ghost towns" but no one ever suggested using publicly owned funds and assets to plop down 15 or so large capital projects in them. We can't even get Metro to consider putting some of the ridiculous public arts projects in other areas.

I will stop my tirade against frivolous and useless spending on downtown projects when someone gives me good reasons other than the boilerplate conventional wisdom ones. "Everyone knows a strong core is important to having a great city" and "this will make Nashville a progressive just like ____________" and "this will bring in more tourism, the 3rd largest industry in Nashville" are prime examples of boilerplate non-arguments with no basis in fact, theory, or even thought.

Ask yourself, why is it important that these facilities NOT go to the neighborhoods of actual residents and businesses? Titan, are you saying that only downtown is important enough for capital spending? Can I assume that you are one of the very few downtown residents or own a bar/restaurant in downtown and just do not want to give up the right of first refusal on all Metro sponsored projects due to your bottom line? Ever considered it would be easier to come out here with the rest of us rather than constantly fighting for our money for your next big score?

By:TITAN1 on 2/23/11 at 6:54

I'm sorry jeff, I did not know you wanted it next door to your house. They can put center field right at your front door or would you rather have home plate there. Then we can put LP Field on the other side of your house and Bridgestone Arena just around the corner. I'm sure your neighbors would love that, just like the people who live next to the track. One big difference, the track was there before the people living there, that wouldn't be the case with your neighbors though since they were there first. I'm sure your neighbors would just love you. But, logic says put the Sounds stadium downtown where the other sports and entertainment venues are already located. But, I have never seen you use logic.

By:Shane Smiley on 2/23/11 at 8:29

Titan,
We have the Arena, MCC,The Schermerhorn, CM Hall of Fame, &LP Field , and ever shrinking downtown parking "in the core".
To the west, Vandy stadium, Centennial sports plex/park
To the immediate South, Greer and the Historic Fairgrounds.
To the North, Bicentennial mall, the farmers market, and a historic golf course

They are all in the downtown area and represent decent balance.

Here are my questions.
1. If we can not find money in the Metro budget to renovate and improve the Fairgrounds for its 1.2+Million Annual visitors and 50-60 Million dollars of economic impact, how do we have the money to build a new baseball stadium that yields a fraction of the people and revenue to Davidson County?

2. Will Greer Stadium be required to pay for this study as the Fairgrounds was charged for the multiple studies concerning its future?

3. Will best and most appropriate use for the study properties be a part of the criterium?

The city subsidizes Greer stadium $250,000 a year. The Fairgrounds on the other hand has never needed a penny of tax payer dollars to survive.
it is in need of a face lift to continue as an educational, cultural, and financial benefit to residents and tourists alike.
It is hands down the most diversely used piece of property in the county.
Greer can not say this and should not be appropriated funds over the Fairgrounds.

If you want to see a master plan already in place and proposed for the Fairgrounds, Go to www.SaveMyFairgrounds.com
This is a plan drawn up by the people, for the people.
It encompasses many "Green" innovations and allows for increase activity, events, and commerce to take place on this Historic property.

Attention needs to be paid to all types of recreation in Nashville.
Funding should be based on citizen use, need of upgrade, economic impact.
Not picked just because the Mayor is a baseball fan.

By:cl74 on 2/23/11 at 9:44

Just put it in downtown somewhere. There is also plenty of places downtown to park.

By:Shane Smiley on 2/24/11 at 2:10

I have been thinking about this all day, talking with friends, and trying to see the big picture.
Hear is another point of view that makes sense.
What doesn't make sense is the mayor deciding who gets what or where it goes based on the preferences of the "Elite".
The Sounds and the Fairgrounds are for the people. In order for them to be successful, he should listen to the people.

The Sounds want to go to the Thermal Site. It’s got the most “foot traffic” - necessary for minor league stadiums, trust me. I bet they would put serious money into the Thermal site.

The only problem with the Thermal Site is that the Mayor and some of the wealthy “whos who” of Nashville want to put an outdoor amphitheater on the site and make it an extension of the Schermerhorn Symphony. He’ll cite “highest and best use”. Sound familiar?

Why is the Mayor against affordable family entertainment?
$5 baseball ticket vs. $100 symphony ticket?
Why be against a stadium that will put 10,000 fans into downtown 75 nights a year?
Why support an amphitheater for a symphony crowd that will not go to the honky-tonks after their 10 events a year?

The Mayor wants baseball to go to an old site named Sulpher Dell (www.sulpherdell.com). Sulpher Dell is billed as “Baseball’s Most Historic Ballpark” - except there is no freaking ball park there, they tore it down in 1969. They would get no foot traffic. Many claim this is to generate economic development of the area surrounding the old ballpark (which no one can actually locate) and bring development out Jefferson Ave. I bet the Sounds don’t put a dime into Sulpher Dell.

Why is the Mayor supporting “Baseballs most historic stadium” that doesn’t even exist, yet will stop at nothing to tear down the most historic track in the nation that is still producing revenue?
Sound hypocritical to you?
Why are we sacrificing another beloved sport in the name of economic development? Sound familiar?

If the Sounds are forced to go to Sulpher Dell, a number of things may happen. First, the site must be fully developed out to work, not just building a new stadium. They would probably need $100 million in surrounding mixed-use development and tax give-a-ways to make it work. That ain’t happening right now. Further, if the Sounds don’t like the stadium, or the attendance improve, they may leave town. There is nothing keeping them in Nashville. They have 3 years left on Greer Stadium, that’s it.

Imagine the “baseball mayor” allowing baseball to leave Nashville?
Because he is inserting himself into these discussions, he is on the verge of trying to expel a beloved sport from Nashville.
Sound familiar?

They are a major sport, and enjoy support from people like me and you. They need a new stadium, Why is the Mayor is trying to strong-arm to which site they are forced to relocate.

The $250,000 subsidy for the Sounds stadium is nothing compared to what the Titans and Preds cost us. I personally support $250,000 to baseball, it’s worth it if we can have 10,000 fans for 75 games in a new stadium, filing out into lower Broadway after games. Plus, if they get a new stadium in a better location, I bet they don’t need the subsidy any more.

This is a class and culture war. The Mayor has appointed himself commander in chief of the “haves” of Nashville, and is deciding what parts of Nashville’s culture he wishes to preserve, and what he can do away with.
He does not represent the “have lesses”. Some of us cannot go to the Symphony. Many who can, still would rather go to the track or a ball game any night of the week.

By:Shane Smiley on 2/24/11 at 2:20

My apologies for the typo.
It should have read:
Here is another point of view that makes sense.

What can I say? It's been a long day.

The ONLY way that we, the common folk of Nashville will keep Mayor Dean from Railroading his ideas thru and dictating what "We the people" have for entertainment / recreation or where we will be "Allowed" to enjoy our passions is to stand up, band together, and have our voices heard.
A tough task when you are trying to communicate with those that have a deaf ear to the people.
WE ARE NASHVILLE! Stand up, Be PROUD, Be heard
If he won't listen now, let your vote do the talking.
Make Karl Dean a one term Mayor!

By:foxman on 2/24/11 at 9:32

Great idea. Build it on Jefferson Street or Trinity Lane. That would at least put it within walking distance of the hookers & crack motels.

By:BigPapa on 2/24/11 at 10:55

"The $250,000 subsidy for the Sounds stadium is nothing compared to what the Titans and Preds cost us." That's poor and unsound reasoning. There's a limit to what the city will spend on sports, and now they are spending that money on the NHL and NFL. Leagues that represent the highest level of their respective sports.
So to make a comparison:
We have payments on a Mercedes and a Lexus, at this time there's no point in paying for a rusted out pick up truck too.

By:JeffF on 2/24/11 at 12:13

10,000 sounds like a great idea for lower broadway. Convince one of the other minor league teams to average that amount in a downtown area long-term and I will support it for Nashville.

there is a reason why downtown minor league stadiums lose attendance quicker than stadiums in other areas. American Downtowns are just not as important as their supporters think they are. Getting to and from a downtown is a huge pain for a family with kids, and the number of bars in the immediate area is just is not as important as on-site cheap/free parking and ticket prices to a majority of customers.

I am ecstatic to see the 20 something baseball fan boys and hags are excited about a downtown stadium, but they have to remember that they and their love or Wriggleytown like bars are not what makes a minor-league franchise profitable. Minor League baseball requires the Breeders and their kids to come in large numbers every night. Memphis, Portland, and OKC all prove that they will not keep coming and the notes will still have to be paid.

Build this somewhere inexpensive and where it makes sense and ignore this redevelopment and entertainment zone crap.

By:Kosh III on 2/24/11 at 1:00

Whoever said there is plenty of downtown parking must either not go downtown or is rich enough to afford the exorbitant parking fees.

Sulphur Dell would require that the state move it's data center, will the Sounds pay the millions required for that?

I am all in favor of the Sounds getting a new facility, but only if they do it the private enterprise/free market/capitalist way. Not with taxpayer money, no more welfare to the rich.

By:Shane Smiley on 2/24/11 at 8:49

Kosh III
I am all in favor of the Sounds getting a new facility, but only if they do it the private enterprise/free market/capitalist way. Not with taxpayer money, no more welfare to the rich.

Well said!

By:localboy on 2/25/11 at 1:50

Wouldn't it cost less to renovate Greer into something that meets league standards vs acquiring property and building from the ground up?